The Railway Children

Directed by Nick Boisseau

 

Auditions:  15th and 17th September 8pm at the Peaslake Memorial Hall. 
Performances are 14th to 17th Jan.
 

The main parts in the play are the three children – Bobby, Peter and Phyllis,  - their Mother and Mr Perks (the stationmaster)

There are ten or so other parts all of which are short character parts, all of which will beplayed by other members of the cast, in some cases doubling / even trebling up.

 

Audition pieces are available for the main characters. Audition pieces can be made available for FATHER, DOCTOR, THE OLD GENTLEMAN, MRS PERKS, MR SZEZCPANSKY , MRS VINEY, JIM on request

 

The Children ,who are all in their teens, are:

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•  BOBBIE (ROBERTA) is the eldest, she is the sensible one and tends to take charge

•  PETER is more adventurous – sometimes trying to act grown up but also often ends up arguing with his younger sister

•  PHYLLIS is the youngest and a bit scatty. Sometimes says things she shouldn’t. Will get lots of laughs from the audience.

 

Children - Excitement of seeing first train

Children - Train crash
Children plus Mother and Father - Setting the scene

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Adult main characters

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• MOTHER – on the surface the perfect Edwardian mother, keeping her family together bravely in adversity. Underneath she struggles with being left alone by her husband who has been unexpectedly arrested, leaving the family near destitute

• PERKS is the glue in the piece. He is the stationmaster at the small Yorkshire station near where the family have rented a cottage. He is a warm character who becomes a firm friend of the family but is also a proud man who does not want to feel condescended to by the middle class family he has befriended

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MOTHER - Cross with children
MOTHER - Talking about Mr Sz
PERKS - Perk's tea party
PERKS - Discovers Peter stealing coal
 

About the other characters:

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• FATHER – small but important part as he is very much part of the family in the first section of the play (before family leave for Yorkshire) only to be mysteriously arrested and then makes a dramatic return at the end of the play “oh, My Daddy”

• MRS VINEY – the “treasure” who looks after the family in Yorkshire

• DOCTOR – who plays and important role in the children’s life in Yorkshire

• MRS PERKS – Mr Perks’ other half.

• OLD GENTLEMAN Makes an important contribution to the story. Waves at the children from the tarin and ends up helping them a lot

• MR SZEZCPANSKY A befuddled Russian writer who makes an unexpected appearance on the station and in their lives

• JIM A young lad who has an accident as is looked after by the children

 

Other smaller parts

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• COOK – On stage in first section of play before family leave for Yorkshire. Typical Edwardian Cook

• BUTLER – On stage in first section of play before family leave for Yorkshire Typical Edwardian ButlerMAID – On stage in first section of play before family leave for Yorkshire

• Typical Edwardian Maid

• DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT Small part in second Act

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